Twelve of this year's initial 20 nominees were finalists for the award last
year.

Their candidacy began again Thursday as the race for the 26th annual Payton
Award kicked off with The Sports Network's announcement of a stellar Watch
List for the Football Championship Subdivision's top individual honor.

After the season, the most outstanding player in the FCS will join a list of
Payton Award greats such as Steve McNair, John Friesz, Brian Westbrook, Tony
Romo, Brian Finneran, Armanti Edwards and 2011 winner Bo Levi Mitchell.

McGhee isn't just a returning finalist, he's the only two-time finalist on
this year's Watch List, having finished seventh in the voting as a redshirt
freshman in 2010 and 13th last season when he helped Montana State to a share
of the Big Sky Conference title for the second straight year.

This year, McGhee will go head-to-head with Sorensen in the Big Sky now that
Southern Utah has moved into the conference. Sorensen, who has thrown for over
3,100 yards in two straight seasons, is considered the leading NFL prospect
among FCS senior quarterbacks.

Brockman is capable of throwing for staggering yardage totals, having already
posted games of 497, 570 and 600 yards over the past two seasons.

Mathews was quite prolific, too, throwing for over 500 yards in each of his
final two games last season to finish with an Ivy League single-season record
3,412 yards.

Hess ranked just behind Mathews as the fourth-most efficient quarterback in
the FCS. Heinicke, meanwhile, got a late start on his true freshman season,
but
wound up throwing for 25 touchdowns with only one interception while Old
Dominion reached the FCS playoffs in its first season of eligibility.

Among the running backs, no one wants to take the next step in the Payton
voting more than Bell. He tied for second as a sophomore last season when he
was the FCS' official rushing leader (1,670 yards, 151.8 yards per game) on
7.3
yards per carry.

Brown actually outgained Bell in rushing yards (1,815) and per-game average
(165), but was not recognized among the official FCS statistical leaders
because Bryant was in its final season as a provisional school that was
reclassifying to the FCS.

West is coming off a season in which he was the inaugural recipient of the
Jerry Rice Award as the FCS freshman of the year. He rushed for 1,294 yards,
ranking 12th in yards per game, and a national-best 29 touchdowns.

All 10 of the backs, including Breitenstein, the FCS' active career rushing
leader with 3,695 yards, rushed for over 100 yards per game a year ago. Denham
ranked third in the FCS in rushing yards per game, Bauman fourth, Cook
seventh, Maysonet eighth, Breitenstein 10th, Pierce 13th and Flanders 16th.

Few players mixed the offense together like Sincere. The wide receiver caught
26 passes for 485 yards and four touchdowns, but also ran Sam Houston State's
Wild Bearkat formation, finishing with 979 yards and nine touchdowns on the
ground.

Bios of all 20 players can be found at .....http://tiny.cc/264bhw

The Payton Award Watch List can undergo revision during the 2012 season.
Ballots will be sent to a panel of about 175 sports information and media
relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the
regular season on Nov. 19. The top three vote-getters will be invited to
The Sports Network FCS Awards Presentation.

The Sports Network also presents the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice and Eddie
Robinson awards. The Buchanan Award honors the FCS defensive player of the
year, the Rice Award goes to the FCS freshman of the year and the Robinson
Award honors the FCS coach of the year. Those three winners will join the top
three Payton finalists at the national awards banquet.